Speak Now, or Forever Hold Your Peace
by The Unsinkable Molly Rose
Summary: AU Delena. Elena reminisces on how she found love on the day of her wedding. Written for the beautiful Hannah as a Christmas gift.


Title- Speak Now, or Forever Hold Your Peace.  
Description- AU Delena. Elena reminisces on how she found love, on the day of her wedding.  
Disclaimer- I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I don't even own the character who isn't from the show. She is an amazing beautiful person who is herself :)  
A/N- This is a Christmas story for Hannah! I hope you enjoy it, and if there is any mistakes, then please take the fact that I wrote this at one in the morning into consideration. Also I googled what Elena's and Stefan's middle names are, and I found a few results that said that they were Marie and Antonio in the books, so I just kept them. This was meant to be 1000 words long. I think I went over :P

* * *

It feels weird looking at the old photos now. Especially the prom photo. Me, my cousin Caroline, Stefan and Damon. I fixated myself on the latter remembering how much I used to convince myself that I hated him. Just looking at him made me feel like want a bath... In bleach. He disgusted me, with his crude comments and sarcastic remarks, and the worst thing was he knew what he was doing. He wasn't one of the dumb perverts that I was so used to. He was sly and cunning, knowing exactly how to wind me up. That is precisely why I chose to go out with his brother. Stefan was a nice boy. Totally uninteresting, majorly overprotective and a bit of a geek to be frank. Yet I did love him. I wasn't in love with him though. At least I didn't think so. I didn't know how love felt then, but I guessed that I would know when it would happen. It did happen to me in the end. It was on the day of my wedding that I realised what love was. I'll start from the bachelorette party.

-x-

I was drunk. Not just a bit tipsy, but full on pissed. I don't even know how I remember it so well. We were at the local nightclub, and I was well on my way to giving a strip tease. Caroline was too busy trying to keep everything organised to her standards to worry about what I was doing. Bonnie had bumped into the creepy, but totally hot professor that she met through her grandma, and was a bit preoccupied making out with him in the girls bathroom, leaving me completely on my own except from my friend Matts stoner sister, Vicki, my psychotic cousin, Rebekah and Stefan's friend Hannah, and who was lovely, but I was 90% sure that she hadn't had any alcohol, and had vanished into one of the corners of the room to read a book. I totally blame that for the reason why I had ended up on a table, lifting my shirt up, that said in big letters 'the future Mrs Salvatore', courtesy of Caroline, who was also wearing a matching shirt, due to her engagement to Damon. And as my luck goes the man in question had decided to seemingly make a surprise visit, causing me to snap back to my senses.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I near enough shouted, most of the men that had been surrounding me walking off as they realised that the show was over. I got down from the table, and threw my hair over my shoulder, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Why don't you finish off your strip tease first, then I'll answer your very polite question" he retorted, before receiving a hard jab in the stomach from me. It did nothing to him, he just stood there acting like I gave him a light tap, the grin on his face growing so wide, that I swore that it would have ripped his face in two. "I'm guess that meant no... Damn it. But I ditched Steffy and his merry band of idiots after they refused to get a stripper, and as my luck goes, I check to see how you girls are doing, and dear old Elena is performing her own strip act for the crowds." He chuckled, and I could feel my cheeks flushing a violent red.

"Well how about you go back to your lame bachelor party or whatever, and I stay here far far away from your snarky little act." I growled, and turned to storm off in a huff, but I kind of lost the effect when I felt my heel start to topple, and my body going down with it.

"Woah, Elena!" Damon said as he caught me in his arms, securing me to an upright position. "Are you alright?" He asked me, and even though I wasn't quite sure, I could have sworn that there was an inkling of concern in his voice. I looked at him, my brows furrowed in confusion. I couldn't understand why he cared about me, I mean I knew that he was going to be my brother in law sometime during the twenty four hours that would follow, but we hated each other, even when we were kids. "Come on, you can't stay out like this, you're, um, getting married tomorrow..." He reminded me, as he tried to guide me out of the bar.

"What about Caroline?" I asked, trying not to think about how secure I felt in his arms, or how warm he was, despite the fact that the air conditioning was on.

"I'll take you to the car, and then I'll nip back in and tell her, is that okay?" He asked, even though I knew I had no choice in this as he had already started to lead me to the black Ferrari, despite my efforts to stay.

"I'm not that drunk, I can stay here!" I protested, but in the battle of strength between him and I, it was pretty obvious who would come out on top. As a five foot four girl trying to get away from a six foot guy of pure muscle, I had no chance from the word go. It didn't stop my frantic struggles through, but despite how hard I tried, I still ended up in the back seat of his car. I was really confused, I mean why did he care about me? I knew that I was going to be his sister in law in less than a day time, but I really doubted that something like that would make Damon actually give a damn. I sat in the back seat, checking to see if I could open the door, but with my luck, he had put a child lock on the car. I knew I could slip into the front seat, but at that moment I was way too tipsy to not break anything, and I had a feeling that he would not like me at all if I broke something in the Ferrari.

"You planning an escape route?" I heard his smarmy voice as the drivers door opened. He got straight in, and turned to look at me, acting like I was a young child who was in trouble. I had to admit though, I was pretty relieved that he had found me instead of Stefan. Even though I was about to marry him, I knew he didn't understand that sometimes I just wanted to have fun.

"It was too hard. I was planning a simple attack on the driver then running off, but at this moment in time I am unable to tell my right hand from my left." I shrugged, and struggled with the seat belt, until I gave up and left it in a tangled mess.

"Do you want to sit in shotgun?" He asked, but I wasn't sure if he was just making a stupid joke I didn't understand or whether he was genuinely being serious. I just gave a small nod, my head tilted slightly to the side in confusion. He jumped out of the car, and opened my door, leading me to the passenger seat. He even put the seatbelt on me, probably after seeing the mess I had made with the other one. "Seriously though Elena, if you are sick in this car, then you can walk home, I don't even care how drunk you are."

I just rolled my eyes at him, "It reassures me to know that you have your priorities in check." I snarled, sticking my tongue out at him, as if I was a young child.

"Let's just get you home before we have to deal with that problem." he said blankly, his foot pressing down on the pedal, and the car starting up with such a jolt, that I actually felt my stomach churn.

"Can you slow down then, if you don't want me to puke?" I asked him, as I rolled the window down, glad to be breathing in the fresh air.

"Sure, whatever." he muttered, looking at me intently for some reason. I couldn't be bothered to ask him what his problem was, nor did I think that I would be able to actually say it, so I just turned to look out of the window, hoping that he had taken the sense to actually look at the road, instead of me. I knew that he was a good driver, but even I knew in that state of mind that it was impossible for anyone to drive without actually looking. So I spent the next ten minutes, watching the buildings and people pass by, too anxious to actually look at Damon, even though I knew by this point, he would be looking at the road.

"Elena?" his voice came from beside me, as we stopped at some traffic lights. I let out an involuntary groan as I realised the ones that we were at. I had once spent a whole ten minutes in a car with Caroline at these traffic lights, they were notorious for making drivers wait as long as possible.

"Yes Damon?" I replied, turning to face him again, and I could feel my cheeks burning, yet I had no reason why.

"Do, erm, are, wha-" he started, and I was shocked to see the usually smooth talking Damon Salvatore, stumble over his words. "Do you really love Stefan?" he finally came out with, and I felt like someone had punched me in the chest. I did love Stefan, but not in the way that Damon meant.

"You can't ask me that, it isn't any of your business!" I snapped. It wasn't like Damon was protective of his brother in any way. In all honesty, I would have thought that Damon would have enjoyed seeing Stefan getting into a relationship that was going to fail.

"If you did love him, then you wouldn't have even hesitated." he retorted, as the red light changed to amber, and he changed his focus back to the road. I couldn't believe that he had said that though, and I wasn't going to back down.

"So are you in love with Caroline?" I asked him, my voice getting harsh and emotionless. He didn't reply straight away like I expected it too. Damon was always one for proving a point, no matter if he was telling the truth or what. "If you really loved her then you wouldn't have hesitated!" I mocked, raising my eyebrows at him.

"That is because I love someone else." he came out with, saying it in the same tone of voice that someone would use if they were telling someone else what the weather was. I couldn't reply to that. My mouth was open in shock, and every thought just seeped out of my mind. I didn't know what to do, was I supposed to tell Caroline that her fiancée was having an affair on her. "Well, I'm just as bad as you, marrying someone who I don't feel anything for."

"Who is it? It isn't someone close to her is it?" I asked, thinking of all of our mutual friends, and how any of them could be lying to her face.

"For crying out loud, Elena!" he shouted, pulling the car to the side of the road and turning towards me in surprise. "Are you really that blind to not see who I am on about?" he asked me, and I racked my brain, trying to think of anybody, but no one came to mind.

"Wait you're not seeing Hannah are you?" I asked thinking about how she was really close to both of the Salvatore's, though I had no idea through what connection. He just laughed at me. Not a nice laugh, one that was obviously looking down on me.

"Seriously, Elena, how much have you had to drink?" he questioned, still laughing. "It's you! I have been in love with you since I met you!" he blurted out.

"Wha-What?!" My thoughts scrambled, and I thought of us in high school, sitting next to each other in history, with Mr Saltzman sending us out to the headmaster every other lesson, because of our heated spats. "Just take me home! I don't want to talk to you!" I shouted, turning to face the window, refusing to even look at him. The rest of the journey passed by in a blur, as I fixated my thoughts on the outside world, hearing every little sound, and seeing every little movement of every single person, just to distract my mind from the thoughts of what he just said. My eyes started to feel heavy, and I couldn't focus my thoughts on anything any more, as I drifted off into in new sleep.

-x-

The wedding march rung loudly through my ears, as my father walked me down the aisle. I was surprised that my head wasn't hurting from the alcohol that I had consumed. It was hurting though, but from the confusion that Damon caused. Stefan was at the front, looking down at me with a wide grin on his face, that just intensified my muddled feelings. How could he look so happy, when his brother was in love with his soon to be wife. I knew that he didn't know, but I just felt bad. I couldn't even look at Caroline this morning when she was helping me into the dress, and doing my hair and make-up. I just couldn't help thinking that maybe I felt the same way about Damon as he did for me.

"You look beautiful." Stefan told me with a small smile, and I guessed that he was as nervous as me, as the priest gave a cough to get every ones attention. I felt my dad give a squeeze of my hand before I heard the loud voice of the priest ring throughout the church.

"Being assured that your love and your choice of each other as lifelong companions are in God's will and that you have your families' blessings. I now ask. Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" he asked, and I looked at my father, deep inside hoping that he had decided on a change of heart.

"Her mother and I do." I heard, as my father let go of my hand and placed it in Stefan's, leaving me without his moral support. I was sure that I was going to collapse without his strong arms holding me up. I just smiled at Stefan, before looking at one of Stefan's best men in disgust. I had no idea how Damon dared to show up at the wedding, after what he had said the night before. I forced myself to tear my eyes away from him, and instead looked at the vicar who was ready to start speaking again.

"The apostle Paul compared the relationship between husband and wife to that between Christ and the church. Marriage is a decision of two individuals to share the same type of pure, Christian love described by Paul.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...

"This kind of love enriches each part of life and marriage enriches love. Two lives, shared with this kind of love, can hold more fulfilment and happiness than either life alone.

"Stefan Antonio Salvatore. are you ready to enter into this marriage with Elena Marie Gilbert, believing the love you share and your faith in each other will endure all things?" the priest asked, and I looked at him, begging him to say no, as I knew that I didn't have the guts to it. Hearing how he described love just made me feel ill. 'Rejoices with the truth'. I had a feeling that if Stefan found out the truth then there would be little rejoicing.

"I am." He said with the same small nervous smile on his face, as I struggled to keep mine up.

"Elena Marie Gilbert, are you ready to enter into this marriage with Stefan Antonio Salvatore, believing the love you share and your faith in each other will endure all things?" he questioned me, and at that moment I felt all eyes on me. I didn't believe for one second that I could spend the rest of my life with Stefan when I had a feeling that I was in love with Damon.

"I am." I blurted out, shocking even myself. The person who was the most shocked though had to be Damon, as I could see the disbelief in his eyes, and it made me wonder if anyone else could.

"Into this holy union Bride and Groom now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married, speak now, or else for ever hold your peace." The priest boomed throughout the church, and I realised what was about to happen. I had totally forgotten about this part of the ceremony, probably because I had wanted it to be removed, but naive Stefan believed that no one would have the guts to say anything. Damon stood up from the pew and I genuinely thought that I was going to be sick.

"I have 'just cause' or whatever that is." he said, as everyone in the room turned to look at him. I felt myself go dizzy, and gripped hard onto Stefan's hands, just trying my hardest not to faint, as I could imagine me doing something stupid like that. "She doesn't love you brother. I don't know if she loves me or someone else, but anyone who has any sense can tell that she doesn't love you. And if you love her, even after what you did with Caroline, then I would be damned. But I love her, brother, you knew that, you always knew that. So please, just don't do this, both of you, as it will only cause you pain." His words spun around my mind as I tried to make sense of them. What did he mean when he said about Caroline and Stefan, and why didn't he tell me that last night, before the wedding had actually started. Stefan dropped my hands, leaving me totally on my own.

"I can't do this Elena, I'm sorry." he said before walking out. I was wrong, Stefan didn't love me. He wasn't nervous about the ceremony, he was nervous for the exact same reason that I was. Caroline gave me a small look probably wondering whether she should go to me or Stefan, but she chose the latter, running down the aisle her heels echoing around the room. I just stood there, probably looking like I was simple, my legs shaking for a few moments before they decided that they couldn't hold me up any more as I fell to the floor. My parents and Damon ran towards me, the vicar and the rest of the congregation just staring in silence. I didn't know what was effecting me more, the embarrassment of it all, or the way that I didn't care. I was more glad than upset. It was just the surprise of it all that had caused my legs to give way.

"I'm sorry Elena, I should have just kept quiet, I was selfish, oh god, I never meant to tell you about Stefan and Care..." Damon reeled off frowning as he kneeled to be eye level with me, and I could honestly swear that it was the first time that I had ever heard him apologize, and it was probably the only time were it wasn't needed.

"Thank you..." I said simply, at a loss for words. His grimace slowly changed it a smile and he stood up holding is arm out to lift me up. I took it graciously before turning to face my parent "Mom, what should we do about the guests and the party?" I asked, leeching myself onto Damon for dear life.

"I'll sort it out honey, just get yourself home, and we'll talk tomorrow, after you have rested." she said, and ushered me down the aisle, giving her infamous death stare to anyone who dared to look out way. The rest of the day was a blur, that compromised of me eating, sleeping and refusing to talk, not even to Damon. He didn't care though, looking after me so well that you'd have thought that I was the queen. I did say one sentence though, just before I fell asleep for the last time that day.

"I love you..." I muttered, before closing my eyes and drifting into my dreams.

-x-

That was four years ago, and I can honestly say that it was the best thing that had ever happened to me. Stefan ended up marrying Caroline, much to the disapproval of both of their families, causing them to move to England, with mine and Caroline's cousins the Mikaelson's. I haven't heard from them since, but Damon has told me that the rumour going around is that Caroline cheating on Stefan with this guy called Klaus, but I decided that I didn't want to but all my faith in the whispers of Damon's friends. I haven't married Damon yet, both of us feel much happier without the stress of going through another ceremony, but we both decided that if we did, then we would take out the objections. So in the typical cliché way, me and Damon live happily ever after. Well, at least for now.


End file.
